Spinach Quiche

Oh my gosh, I'm not sure I can even tell you this recipe. It is a bunch of stuff I had left in my freezer and refrigerator. I may have to call this "Leaving on Vacation Quiche." Or "The Kitchen Sink Quiche." I looked up a recipe for a crustless quiche and then made adaptions that would use up everything I had left in the refrigerator.  I had bought the pancetta several months ago and had never used it. So I got it out of the freezer and concocted this recipe.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/spinach-quiche

Ingredients: these are guesses on amounts.
3 oz. package of pancetta
1/2 onion
1 package of frozen spinach, with water squeezed-out
3 oz. cream cheese
2 oz. goat cheese
2 oz. cheddar cheese
3-4 oz. turkey lunch meat
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray
Directions:
Remove pancetta from the package and dice.  Cook in a skillet to render the fat and crisp up the pancetta. Remove the pancetta from the skillet and add 1/2 onion.  Cook over medium heat until onions are soft. Spray the pie pan with cooking spray. Add the cheddar or swiss cheese to the bottom of the pie pan. Add the 6 eggs and 1 cup milk in a bowl and mix to break-up the eggs.  Add other ingredients . Pour into the prepared pie pan.  Bake 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

Hamburger Steak

This is one of Jud's favorite meat dishes.  He usually gets this at Luby's.
I had a pound of ground meat and some onions that I wanted to use before leaving on vacation.  I always have rice.  Afterall, my dad was a rice farmer and all good rice farmer's daughters have rice as a staple in their pantry.  I threw in a few toasted pine nuts because I had them after cooking the green beans.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/hamburger-steak

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef (I used 96/4% fat) I probably could have used a little more fat count to make enough gravy.
1 onion sliced thin rings, separate the rings
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup water
1 beef bullion cube
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Make the beef into 4 patties.Salt and pepper the patties to taste.  Place the patties in a skillet on medium heat.  Fry them about 3 minutes on one side and then turn the patties and add the onions rings that have been separated into individual rings.  Let cook 3 minutes on the other side and then remove the beef patties from the skillet.  Add flour and water to make a gravy.  As the gravy begins to thicken add the meat back into the pan.  Cover and allow to simmer until cooked through, about 5 more minutes.

Oven Fried Chicken

We are trying to make it to the end of our groceries before we leave on vacation.  I had some parmesan cheese so I decided to make this oven fried chicken.  I probably used closer to 3/4 of a cup of Parmesan instead of 1/2 cup for 1/2 the recipe.  Loved the extra cheese. I will definitely make this again.  From Paula Deen of Foodnetwork

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/oven-fried-chicken
Ingredients:
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons freshly minced thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, for easy clean-up. Place a cooling rack over pan and spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, to taste.  In a separate shallow dish, combine mustard, water, salt and pepper, to taste, and remaining olive oil. Coat each chicken breast with mustard mixture; dredge each in bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared rack in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Coffee Rub ( for Beef or Pork)

I checked the New Sonoma Diet book out of the library.  I may have to buy it because I am finding lots of good recipes that I want to try.  After I put the rub on the flank steak that had been tenderized twice, Jud cooked it about a total of 5 minutes on each side.  He said he turned it several times.  I just love grilling night.  I just have to make the sides.  It is really too hot in Texas to be grilling outside.


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/coffee-rub-for-beef-or-pork
Ingredients:
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup coffee, finely ground
2 tablespoons Spanish paprika ( I don't know what I have)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon coriander, ground
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, ground
1/4 teaspoon cayene

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Season meat with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons rub evenly on 1 pound of meat.  Let sit for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Sprinkle the meat with 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil before grilling.
I probably used 2 tablespoons of the rub on each side.

Stuffed Chicken Breast -2

I found this recipe in my Texas Country Reporter, and Carol Renee Queen of Port Arthur submitted the recipe, but it was for stuffed chicken legs.  I decided to do it with chicken breasts.  I used the left-over stuffing with the extra spinach on top of the chicken breast. So it was stuffed inside and outside.  For the outside stuffing, I added a little goat cheese, about 2 oz.
The asparagus was drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and baked with the chicken breast the last 15 min.  I sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top.
Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/stuffed-chicken-breast--2
Ingredients
1/2 pound chopped mushrooms
1/2 red or green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large leg quarters, washed and dried (or 2 chicken breasts with a pocket cut-through in the thick part of the breast)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 slices swiss cheese (I just realized when I typed this that I forgot the cheese) Darn--I even bought 2 slices to use.
In a large bowl mix chopped mushrooms, red or green bell pepper, garlic, onion, celery, salt, spinach, oregano, basil, and lemon juice. Set aside. Carefully loosen skin on chicken quarters, cut away excess external fat, and stuff loosely with vegetable and herb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Brush with butter and brown underneath a broiler for up to 3 minutes. Cover each piece of chicken with one slice of cheese.

Stuffed Bell Peppers- Shrimp

I got this cookbook when I got married and it began to fall apart about 15 years ago.  I bought another one because I loved it so much.  This recipe makes enough for 2 people.
Adapted from Talk About Good Cookbook.



Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/stuffed-bell-peppers--shrimp

Ingredients:
1/2 stalk of celery
1 small onion or 4 scallions
1/2 small bell pepper
This is known in cooking as the trinity.  It is used very often in Louisana cooking which is where this cookbook originated.
Chop the above ingredients fine and wilt down in 1 tablespoon of butter. 
Boil 1/2 pound shrimp with 1 bay leaf, salt, black and red pepper and lemon slices.  Peel, devein and chop fine. Cook 1/2 cup of rice.
Combine:
 1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 drops of tabasco sauce
1/8 teaspoon black and red pepper each
Cut a bell pepper in half lengthwise and place in a saucepan with 2" of water.  Let it boil for 5-7 minutes to soften the peppers.  While this is boiling, combine the trinity with the shrimp and tomato sauce mixture, and rice.  Stuff the bell peppers with the mixture and top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Shrimp Diablo

It's Thursday again and Jud is in doing the dishes while I put his meal on my blog.  What a guy!  This recipe comes from a book that we received as a gift, The Texas Hill Country.  I liked this meal better than Jud, but then again, I always like it when I can sit back and not have to cook or clean-up.  This recipe is from "The Texas Hill Country (A Food and Wine Lover's Paradise - Salt Lick in Driftwood.


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/shrimp-diablo

Ingredients:
Jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied
Onion slivers
slices of seeded fresh jalapenos
Thin-sliced bacon
Salt Lick Dry Rub or your favorite rug
Salt Lick BBQ Sauce or your favorite barbecue sauce
Place an onion sliver and a slice of jalapeno inside each shrimp. Wrap the shrimp in bacon slices and season with dry rub. Place on hot grill and baste with barbecue sauce. Flip and baste again, cooking only until the shrimp turn white throughout. Serve hot, with additional sauce if desired.  Jud decided that a 1/2 piece of bacon was plenty. The part of the bacon that was under the top layer didn't get done.  2 shrimp were enough for me and 3 were enough for Jud. 

ice cream sandwiches

Use your favorite cookie recipe and then fill it with your favorite ice cream.  I had some cookies and cream and some mint-chocolate chip.  I made about 1/2 dozen of each.  My older grandsons are coming next weekend and I wanted to have some of each.  I'll let them decide which they like best. Mia is ready for the spoiling to begin.  We are also going to see Pinkalicious at the Majik Theater and then we will come back and make pink cupcakes. Oh what fun.

Pumpkin Seed Dried Cherry Trail Mix

This trail mix looked good and like something I could eat as a healthy choice when I needed a snack. I could probably eat this whole container, but I won't let myself.  I wasn't sure about the pumpkin seeds, but I love them.  I will have to save the seeds from my pumpkin next year.  I only made 1/2 of the recipe, because I wasn't sure about the pumpkin seeds. Next time I will make the whole recipe.



This is the 3rd time I have made this recipe and of course, I made the whole recipe.  I love it on oatmeal, as a snack, or on salads. It is a winner.

The recipe comes from Clair Robinson - 5 ingredient Fix on Food Network


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/pumpkin-seed-dried-cherry-trail-mix
Ingredients:
2  cups of baby pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
6 tablespoons pure Grade B maple syrup
coarse salt
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds and the syrup until evenly coated. 3. Spread the nuts and seeds out, in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and season with salt to taste. Bake the nuts, stirring several times with a spatula or wooden spoon, until just golden, about 20 minutes.
4. Cool the nuts completely on the pan, then add the cherries and toss to combine. Store cooled trail mix in an airtight container at reoom temperature.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

These chicken wings were awesome. I cooked them longer than Ina indicates in the recipe. The recipe is from Barefoot Contessa - Family Style cookbook.  Jud made some jalapena poppers from our mamoth jalapena's in the back yard.  That is about the only thing in our garden that is growing well.  The recipe will follow. It is Rachel Ray's recipe.


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/buffalo-chicken-wings

Ingredients for the Wings:
16 chicken wings (about 3 pounds)
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons Frank's Hot sauce, or 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Ingredients for the Dip:
1 1/2 cups crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk (I used buttermilk)
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Celery sticks, for serving
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Cut the chicken wings in thirds, cutting between the bones.  I just bought drumettes. Discard the wing tips.
3. Melt the butter and add the cayenne, hot sauce, and salt. Put the wings on a sheet pan with alumminum foil or parchment, or silicone pad, for easy clean-up. Brush the wings with the melted butter. Broil them about 3 inches below the heat for 8 minutes. Turn the wings, brush them again with the butter, and broil for 4 more minutes, or until cooked.  Jud cooked the jalapena poppers for 15 minutes on 450 degrees so I cooked the wings while the poppers were cooking.
4. For the dip, place the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, worcestershire, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until almost smooth.
5. Serve the chicken wings hot or at room temperature with the blue cheese dip and celery sticks.

Ingredients for Jalapena Poppers - Rachel Ray
12 jalapeno peppers
2 ounces feta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces smoked pepper jack or extra sharp smoked cheddar
small handful of chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons grated onion
Bake 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Let sit to cool for about 5 minutes.
We only cut two large jalapena peppers in half, scopped out the seeds and them filled them with the above mixture that had been mixed to a cream mixture.  Jud put exual amounts of cream cheese and cheddar and them 1/2 that amount of feta cheese. Then he added a little cilantro and a little grated onion.  It is not rocket science.  Just make as much as you think you will need to fill the peppers that you have.  We didn't have the smoked cheese so Jud added about 3 drops of liquid smoke.  It gave it a nice smoked flavor that we really liked.

Lasagna with Turkey Sausage

This is Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, favorite lasagna recipe.  We loved it.  Since it is made with turkey sausage, I feel like it is a little healthier.  We won't even talk about all the cheeses. I did use a low-fat ricotta cheese.  But even so, it was worth the calories. You can tell that this week, I was getting all my recipes from my Barefoot Contessa cookbook- Cooking Family Style


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/lasagna-with-turkey-sausage
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, sasings removed
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 oz. ricotta cheese
3-4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8-10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, until thickened.
3. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl or pot with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, and remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside
5. Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 X 12 X2 inch baking dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
To make ahead, refrigerate the assembled, unbaked lasagna.  After removing from the refrigerator, bake 40-50 minutes.

Chicken Tabbouleh

This is a very healthy salad. We had some cherry tomatoes from our garden that I was able to use.   I know I'm bragging, but if you saw my garden, you would understand. I don't have much to brag about.  The real reason I made this dish is because I had some bulgur wheat I wanted to use-up. I'm not sure I would make it again. It was just O.K.  That doesn't usually make the cut when I'm trying to decide if this is a do-over.  It has to be above an 8 on our scale and this was not.  It makes a big batch so I will be eating on it for the rest of this week.  Not sure I could get Jud to eat it again.  From Ina Garten's - Cooking Family Style
Printable Recipe:https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chicken-tabbouleh

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups boiling water (I used chicken stock)
1 cup bulgur wheat
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
I also used the zest from 1 lemon
olive oil
Kosher salt
1 whole (2 split) chicke breast, bone in, skin on (I used a baked chicken from the grocery store)
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parges (1 bunch)
1 cup chopped fresh min leaves (2 bunches)
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and medium-diced
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (my tomatoes were small so I didn't half them)
1. If you are using a baked chicken from the grocery store, you will skip step 1 and 3.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a heat-proff bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgur wheat. Add the lemon juice, zest if you are using it, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Stir. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the bulgur to stand at room temperature for about an hour.
3. Place the chicken breast on a baking sheet and rub it with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Remove the chicken meat from the bones and discard the skin.l Cut the chicken into medium dice and add to the tabbouleh. Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Season to taste and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The flavors will improve as it sits.
Maybe it will be an 8 or 9 by tomorrow.  Hint:  It was better the next day, but the best thing I did was serve it in wheat pita pockets that had been toasted.  I also added a little olive oil and heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds.  It was really tasty.  I may make it again afterall.

Parker's Fish and Chips

I always wondered how they got the fish so light and crisp. Well, now I know.  This would be a great batter for shrimp. From Ina Garten's Cooking Family Style



Printable Recipes:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/parker-s-fish-and-chips
Ingredients:
3 pounds fresh cod fillets (choose thick ones)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon or lime zest
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 extra-large eggs
vegetable oil
Baked "Chips" (recipe follows)
1. Lay the cod fillets on a cutting board. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Cut the fillets in 1 1/2 X 3-inch pieces.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1 cup of water and then the 2 eggs. I only used about 3/4 cup of flour for the three fillets that I made.  I used 1 egg and just added water until it was the right consistency (pancake batter).
3. Pour 1/2 inch of oil into a large frying pan and heat it to about 360 degrees. Dip each fillet into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place it very carefully into the hot oil. Don't crowd the pieces. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil between 360-400 degrees. Cook the fish on each side for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the "chips." You can keep warm in a 200 degree oven (if you have an extra oven) while the chips are baking.  Or do as I did.  Put the potatoes on to cook first and then fry the fish about 5 minutes before the potatoes are ready.


Baked "Chips"
4 large baking potatoes, washed and  unpeeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Scrub the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in thirds lengthwise. You'll have six long wedges from each potato. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together,making sure the potatoes are covered with oil. Spread the potatoes in a single layer with one cut side down.
3. Bake the potatoes for 30-35 minutes, turning to the other cut side after 20 minutes. Bake until they are lightly browned, crisp outside, and tender inside. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.